Conference on Atmospheric-Oceanic Sciences for Asia and Indo-Pacific Oceans held in Guangzhou

Source: School of Atmospheric Sciences
Written by: School of Atmospheric Sciences
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

During 18-20 November 2017, the Conference on Atmospheric-Oceanic Sciences for Asia and Indo-Pacific Oceans was held in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. It was jointly hosted by Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SCSIO) and Guangdong Meteorological Service, and was co-organized by Climate Variability and Predictability Programme (CLIVAR), Guangzhou Association for Science and Technology, and Guangzhou Research Center for Atmospheric Sciences, China Meteorological Administration. Themed by“Tropical-subtropical air-sea interaction and ocean dynamic process”, this conference has a strong appeal to many well-known experts from America, Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, and more than 200 attendees from over twenty organizations, e.g., Institute of Oceanology (IOCAS), Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Climate Center, Beijing Climate Center, State Oceanic Administration, People’s Republic of China, Ocean University of China (OUC), Nanjing University, Peking University, Fudan University (FDU), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hohai University, Shanghai Ocean University, and Guangdong Ocean University. The chairmen of the organizing committee are Academician Wu Lixin from OUC, Professor Peter Webster from Georgia Institute of Technology and Academician Zhang Renhe from FDU. The steering committee is composed of 18 well-known scientists, e.g., Academician Hu Guoxin from IOCAS, Wu Lixin from OUC, Deputy Director of SCSIO Du Yan, Deputy Dean of SYSU’s School of Atmospheric Sciences Yang Song, Researcher from University of Maryland William K. M. Lau, Professor Huang Ruixin from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Professor Xie Shangping from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
 

Congress scene of“Atmospheric-Oceanic Sciences for Asia and Indo-Pacific Oceans”
 

At the opening ceremony hosted by Professor Yang Song on 18th, the Dean of School of Atmospheric Sciences, SYSU, Professor Dong Wenjie gave a speech. He showed his warm welcome to the researchers working on climate, oceanology, and weather from all over the world for their exchange of the newest research ideas in the conference, and his sincere appreciation to the government and university for their great support. Professor Dong believed that this conference would play an important role in advancing China’s Belt and Road Initiative, enhancing the scientific and technical cooperation and exchange on the tropical-subtropcial weather, climate and oceanology over East Asia-Southeast Asia, and promoting the further development of atmospheric and oceanological research. He mentioned that the research on atmospheric sciences at SYSU has a long history. It has advanced into a new development stage since the establishment of the School of Atmospheric Sciences in October 2015. Professor Dong wished that the exchange of the newest research ideas in this conference would advance the multidisciplinary and collaborative innovation, improve local young scientists’ innovation ability, and increase the impact of SYSU on the scientific research on the meteorology and oceanology to combat climate change.
 

Professor Dong Wenjie, Dean of School of Atmospheric Sciences of SYSU, gave a speech at the opening ceremony.
 

After that, over 30 well-known experts gave scientific reports on the frontier research on the Asian monsoon and Earth System Model, focusing on the interannual and interdecadal variations of monsoon, changes and predictions of the precipitation and temperature in different seasons over East Asia. The experts include the Academician Ding Yihui, Zhang Renhe, the former chairman of World Climate Research Program, Researcher Ghassem Asrar, chairman of American Geophysical Union (AGU)-Atmospheric Sciences Section, Researcher William K. M. Lau from University of Maryland, Winner of the American Meteorological Society Rossby Award, Professor Wang Bin from University of Hawaii, Professor John Chiang from University of California, Berkeley, Professor Francis Zwiers from University of Victoria, Canada, Professor Zhang Dalin from University of Maryland, Professor Chen Changsheng from University of Massachusetts, Professor Cai Ming from University of Florida, Professor Yu Jinyi from University of California, Professor Wang Yuqing from University of Hawaii, Professor Eric Maloney from Colorado state University, Professor Deng Yi from Georgia Institute of Technology, Professor Zhou Wen from City University of Hong Kong, Researcher Matthew Wheeler from Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Professor Francis Tam from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Hu Yongyun from Peking University, Professor Dong Wenjie, Wang Donghai from SYSU, Professor Wu Qigang from Nanjing University, Professor Wu Liguang from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, and Researcher Wu Tongwen from National Climate Center.

Besides oral presentations, poster presentations were also organized in the conference. More than 80 young scientists and students exchanged their new research progress via the poster presentation. 8 graduate students in the climate and weather sections from SYSU, Nanjing University, OUC won the First, Second, and Third Prize chosen by the poster presentation selection committee. 

Group photo of excellent poster award winners from climate and weather sections
 

This conference enhanced the scientific and technical cooperation and exchange on the tropical-subtropcial weather, climate and oceanology over East Asia-Southeast Asia, and promoted the further development of the atmospheric and oceanological research. It advanced the multidisciplinary and collaborative innovation, improved local young scientists’ innovation ability, and increased the impact of SYSU on the scientific research on the meteorology and oceanology to combat climate change. Meanwhile, this conference acted as an important step for talent introduction in School of Atmospheric Sciences, SYSU; it advanced the talents team building and made the innovation and talent recruitment base of Atmospheric Sciences, SYSU as one of the worldwide high influential discipline center.
 

Group photo of all attendees
 

Comments from some experts:
Thank you for your leadership, and hospitality. I found the workshop to be informative, well organized and conducted. —— Ghassem R. Asrar

Thank you for the extremely stimulating meeting and wonderful hospitality! I greatly look forward to my next visit, and hope to talk to you soon. —— Eric D. Maloney

 Nearly in all aspects, this is one of the best science meetings I have gone to in many years. Congratulations to you and your team in the leadership role in organizing such successful meeting. Also thanks for the invitation and hospitality. —— Ming Cai

I can only join others in expressing my sincere thanks to Song and everyone who helped with the worksop’s organization for the opportunity to participate in this very stimulating and superbly organized meeting. It was great to meet many new colleagues and to renew old acquaintances. —— Francis Zwiers

I enjoyed the workshop as much as others. Thank you for your leadership in bringing the scientists from climate, oceanography and meteorology together. Your hospitality is much appreciated. See you all in AOGS 2018 at Honolulu! —— Bin WANG